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If you’re a novice, an excellent option is to join a training program organized

by a charity. You’ll have the double motivation of getting in shape and know-

ing that you’re raising money for a good cause. Here are two of the best

national programs:

The Leukemia Society’s Team in Training (www.teamintraining.org):

This program prepares even complete beginners to run or walk a

marathon or bicycle a century(100 miles). Each week you and your team-

mates meet with an experienced coach. You’re also paired with a local

“Honored Patient” who cheers you on throughout your training. On the

day of the event, you wear a special wristband with the patient’s name.

AIDS LifeCycle (www.aidslifecycle.org): You get all the flat-tire

seminars, training tips, and camaraderie you need to complete one of

nine annual AIDS Rides, three- to seven-day cycling tours that cover 50

to 80 miles per day. Many participants don’t even own bikes when they

sign up.

“Every week on the training rides you see people of all different shapes,

sizes, and ages training for the same cause,” says our friend Tracy, who

has completed the San Francisco–to–Los Angeles AIDS Ride four times.

“That gives you the psychological momentum to keep going.” Finishing

the ride along with 2,000 other cyclists in matching shirts is exhilarating,

Tracy says. “People are honking their horns and lining the streets for

miles with posters, balloons, and banners. You feel like a celebrity.”

Keep Your Goals in Plain Sight

The “lazy” Olympic weightlifter mentioned in the preceding section keeps a

picture of the Olympic rings next to his bed. Some people tape their goals to

the bathroom mirror or refrigerator. Suzanne knows a swimmer who writes

his goals on his kickboard. Liz has a client who enters her workout goals into

her computer’s screen saver so that she sees them scrolling by every time

she takes a break from typing.

Whether you write your goals on the side of your shoe or in your training diary,

glancing at them on a daily basis helps keep you focused and motivated. What

if you don’t have specific goals to write down? Turn to Chapter 3 ASAP.

Work Out with a Club or a Team

Back when Suzanne rode her bike alone, she’d roll along at a leisurely pace,

get bored after about 20 miles, and head home before she was even tired.

Some days she was so uninspired that she’d keep pushing the snooze button

on her alarm until it was too late to work out. But these days when the buzzer

380 Part VIII: The Part of Tens